Merchant's Republic of Pontis
Pontis is a republic rich with history and shrouded in myths and legends explaining it's unique nature and great prosperity. The city itself is built on a large, stone and marble arch "bridge" measuring approximately 2.5 km wide, and 7 km long, with a registered population of 501 863. History During the era of the Old Empire, Pontis was commissioned by the military as an elaborate seige vessel. The budget, man power, research, and time that went into the project was seemingly endless. The bridge continues to be the single largest man-made construct in the world. New technology was designed and created specifically for the vessel, in particular, it's navigational system. As a seige vessel, Pontis was heavily armed with cannons and could house thousands of troops, as well as working commodoties such as chefs, janitors, mechanics, etc. It allowed for comfortable living quarters during long excrusions which ensured men were in top condition during raids and seiges. There was only one point in which the city could be accessed and boarded at any given time, and the grand height of the "bridge" itself made it a daunting, if not impossible tast to scale and invade. As the Old Empire began to crumble under its own political weight, four leading military marshals came up with an elaborate plan to populate Pontis and secede from the empire as the last remaining stronghold of its former glory. Despite a lack of support and approval from the empire itself, the plan was carried out, and for an unknown number of months (debatabley years), Pontis was lost at sea with a large population of the military and their families. With the empire's eventual and forseen collapse, Pontis was able to declair itself an independant merchant's republic. With the loss of an empire followed the loss of technological knowledge and the world fell into a dark age. A small handful of sites still exists where old technology continues to work, but Pontis is the only whole nation which runs on and defines itself by the old architecture and technology of the Old Empire. Because of this, Pontis is mythed as a bastion of lost knowlege. In present day, Pontis has successfully undergone centuries of tranformation from a military vehicle into a fuctioning, self-sustaining republic. Its environtment is welcoming, alive, and bustling. The republic prides itself on its esteemed independance, military background, and roots in the Old Empire. Navigation A network of international, under water routes were constructed, allowing Pontis access to virtually every major port across the globe. Pontis navigated via it's built in navigational aptly named the Compass Room. The navigator was specially trained and versed in the room's equiptment and were never soldiers themselves. They required a team of men who would repair and maintain the Compass Room, and all of its components which were housed in compartments over the entire span of the bridge. Government The four leading marshals who initiated Pontis' secession from the Old Empire established a form of government which has been in effect ever since. The republic is looked after by four Pillars who are responsible for maintaining their designated area of administration: military affairs, fiscal affairs, domestic affairs, or navigational affairs. Successors are chosen by their predecessors. It's the responsibility of each Pillar to select and educate an apprentice who will take their place. Because of this, there are families with long histories of political affluence and sway, and the same names can be seen repeated through generations of ruling. Members of this parliment as well as their families reside and work within the Citadel. The Citadel is an enourmous building built around Pontis' Compass Room after the republic's secession, and sits in the city's core. Economy As nation built on a man made construct, Pontis' economy relies heavily on trade. The city travels from major trading port to major trading port depending on the city's needs. Because of it's mobility and strong trading reputation, the republic is able to thrive. Pontis is able to invest in and sell globally exotic goods, which accounts for the majority of the city's wealth. Outside of trade, fishing and tourism are key to the city's economy. Military Pontis prides itself in its strong, proportionately large military. Ranks are titled similarily to naval ranks, a trait carried over from Pontis' years as a seige vessel for the Old Republic. Pontis is also one of the first and only nations to employ gunpowder and rudementary firearms as weaponry. Other such novelties include the military's mounts. Horses proved to take up too much space and Pontis found itself unfit to care properly for equine mounts. In its place, the military breed and raise a specific breed large, semi-aquatic monitor lizards. Higher ranking military members reside in the Military tower of the Citadel, while lower ranking members make up the local law-enforcement and police groups who serve the city and its people. Category:Architecture